What's your opinion on babies getting their ears pierced?

Question

Personally, I think it's kind of cruel and unnecessary. I think they should wait until they're teenagers.

Answer 1

I disagree with it. I am "old school" and have one simple rule for my 9 year old daughter. When she can prove to me that she can be responsible enough to take care of it on her own and take care of her earrings, then she can have her ears pierced. Not until then. I base this responsibility on her keeping her room clean, obeying household rules, and helping with household chores. She is still lacking in some areas, so I stand strong.

I was 14 before I was able to get my ears pierced and it was done the old way: A needle, freezing the earlobes and a raw potato. You freeze the earlobes, pierce the needle through and into the raw potato (held directly behind the lobe) and when you pull it back out the juice on the needle helps with the healing process on the piercing.

Answer 2

I got my ears pierced when I was still a little baby and I have no traumatic memory of it whatsoever. I don't even remember any pain. I thank my parents for piercing my ears when I was still a baby. I simply love earrings! The bigger, the better. And I don't like just clip-ons.

I think babies are resilient that way. It's just like getting vaccination shots, except that you won't have to do it over and over again.

The earlobes of babies are still soft, so I think this is probably the best time to get them pierced (just one on each ear :p ) instead of waiting till the child is older and the lobes are a bit tougher (compared to a baby's).

When you're a teenager and you don't like the experience, you can get traumatized, and it will be more or less forever etched in your memories. At least, babies will forget it, or won't even remember it.

Just make sure you get a professional to do it, so as it won't cause any unnecessary side effects and that it is properly done. :)

Answer 3

I have two daughters and I did not pierce their ears when they were babies,I wanted them to decide if they wanted them done or not when they got to be teenagers. I did not want to decide for them. Ear piercing can scar the ear and make a hard scar inside the piercing around the hole, that is exactly what happened to mine and I've had an ear ring completely torn out of my ear,my ear was totally ripped all the way down and of course I have a scar from that too. There is no way I would have my babies ear pierced. I've seen babies with infected ears and they kept tugging at their ear.

Answer 4

My opinion is it is up to the parents. Actually it is better for a baby to get their ears pierced than to wait until they are older. A baby doesn't know to fear it, and they forget the pain quickly(I know this because I had my daughters ears done at 3 months and she whimpered for about 30 seconds be for she promptly fell back to sleep.) You can also compare it to a infant boy being circumcised-would you wait to do that when he is a teenager, or do it when he is young enough to forget it?
Plus they don't play with their ears when they are young, reducing the risk of infection.

Answer 5

I somewhat agree with you. I feel the child should be old enough to decide if they'd like metal to forge through their skin. However, many people pierce their childrens ears at an early age because the child will forget the pain when they're old enough to enjoy having them pierced. My bottom line: if the child is squirming & hating the fact that tiny dots are being penned on their ears, do NOT make them go through with the piercing! It kills me to see an innocent child scream in pain for a parents vanity!

Answer 6

I don`t think its cruel but it is a personal choice that you, as this child`s parent, get to make and stand by. I wanted to get my daughter`s ears pierced at 3 months old but another mother I met said that she waited until her daughters asked her. They were around 5 years old when they asked. What she did was a little party with their friends and go to jewelry store to pick out their own earings and get their ears pierced. She made it a special occasion for them. I think its a nice idea to encourage children to make decisions and discuss them with their parents before acting on them.

Answer 7

I guess its up to the mom. Sometimes I think its not ok because the baby grabs the ear when they get ear infections and they can pull them out or tear their ear but than sometimes I think its better now than later because its cute.
Me I would personally not get them done until they are at least 10 or 13 unless they want it before hand.
I guess its the mothers choice though.

Answer 8

I had my daughters done when she was little. most places who pierce children's ears require they have their first 2 sets of shots before doing it. I had my daughter's done when she was 4 months old. She cried for maybe 2 min. after they were done and I think it was more from the pop of the piercing gun than the piercing itsself. i gave her a little tylenol incase there was pain and she went to sleep....and slept normally. She never once grabbed or pulled at them, never once had an infection or anything from the piercing.

My little sister got hers done when she asked for it and had to have them done 4 times because she played with them and would get them infected to the point the earrings had to come out.

However, it is up to each individual parent.

Answer 9

Those people need to take parenting classes. Babies are still figuring out their bodies. I've seen too many people that've had babies with ripped ears because they think getting the ears pierced are "cute" but once that baby gets ahold of that earing, right when you turn your back, it'll rip that thing right out. Damn, people, have some common sense.

Answer 10

Ear piercing is not "cruel"... I think it's a personal decision however most girls end up getting their ears pierced anyways so what's the difference when they get it done?